African Universities Seek Support From U.S and Canada. How?

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Considering the low standard in African's higher education, Ibrahim Oanda Ogachi from the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa is optimist that the continent can embrace the economy globalization.

Ogachi said that the dynamic of higher education has forced African universities to adapt with the changes. They have to be accommodative as well as being able to take outside influences to renew their intellectual - which could match the global education.

Speaking to University World News, the officer admitted that universities in Africa will experience an under-pressure state as they take learning to international level. However, he hoped to increase the students capabilities in researching and innovating on various sectors that would benefit Africa in return.

Conducting a research on Kenyan universities, Ogachi stresses the importance in incorporating African born academic diaspora in America and Canada especially in research and analysis activities.

Alongside Olayiwola Erinosho's research on Nigeria, both experts conducted interviews in Canada and the U.S. - calling African born students by phone and Skype. The report submitted to Carnegie Corporation of New York summarized the effectiveness of African diaspora in improving African higher education. Student exchange and scholarship are among sustainable elements that could possibly contribute to the improvements.

However, the diaspora still faces a stereotype as many of the African governments view their citizens working abroad as unpatriotic. With the global change, Ogachi argues that politicians have to think twice about their opinion and find ways to make academic diaspora to return.

Furthermore, Ogachi suggests evaluating the current engagements to unlock full benefits of the diaspora intellectual resources.